New HHS-CMS Committee Announced

On August 21, 2025, the U.S. Department for Health & Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the formation of a new Healthcare Advisory Committee.1 The Committee is expected to be comprised of a group of experts who will make strategic recommendations to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. This Health Capital Topics article discusses this announcement and potential implications on the healthcare industry.

CMS is currently seeking, and accepting nominations for, “[i]ndividuals with expertise in chronic disease prevention and management, federally administered health care financing, and delivery system reform.”2 Fifteen members are expected to be appointed by Administrator Oz before the end of 2025 and serve two-year terms.3 The makeup of those members is currently undetermined, although the members must “consist of an appropriate selection of individuals that have practical and tactical experience or expertise working in all aspects of the US healthcare system, which may include experts from the medical field, manufacturing, government, academia, health insurance/payment programs, or health economics.”4

The Committee is expected to offer recommendations on how to improve the financing and delivery of healthcare in Medicare, Medicaid, and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), as well as in the Health Insurance Marketplace, consistent with President Trump’s February 2025  Executive Order on “Establishing the Make American Healthy Again Commission.”5 Specifically, the Committee anticipates:

  • “Developing a set of actionable policy initiatives that can promote chronic disease prevention and management, as consistent with the Make America Healthy Again policy agenda;
  • Identifying opportunities to move towards a regulatory framework of accountability for safety and outcomes that reduce unnecessary red tape and allow providers to focus on improving patient health outcomes not filling out paperwork;
  • Sharing actionable levers to advance a real-time data system, enabling a new standard of excellence in care, rapid claims processing, rapid quality measurement and rewards;
  • Identifying structural opportunities to improve quality for the most vulnerable in the Medicaid program (outside of more funding for the current system); and
  • Securing the sustainability of the Medicare Advantage program, specifically identifying opportunities to modernize risk adjustment and quality measures that assess and improve health outcomes.”6

HHS’s and CMS’s authority for creating the Committee is derived from the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), which establishes guidelines for federal advisory committees. Historically, there have been a number of federal healthcare advisory committees. Some recent examples include:

  • The Advisory Committee on Ground Ambulance and Patient Billing (GAPB), which advises on balance billing prevention;7
  • The Advisory Committee on Air Ambulance Quality and Patient Safety, which provides recommendations on standards for air ambulance services;8 and
  • The Health Information Technology Advisory Committee (HITAC), which recommends health information technology standards.9

In the announcement of the Committee’s formation, Secretary Kennedy stated that “Every American [deserves] high-quality, affordable care – without red tape, corporate greed, or excessive costs. This new advisory committee will unite the best minds in healthcare to help us deliver real results, hold the system accountable, and drive forward our mission to Make America Healthy Again.” Administrator Oz added, “This is a moment for action. This committee will help us cut waste, reduce paperwork, expand preventive care, and modernize CMS programs with real-time data and accountability, all while keeping patients at the center.”10

1
“HHS Drives Reform to Restore Patient-Centered Care, Announces Request for Nominations of Members to Serve on Federal Healthcare Advisory Committee” Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, August 21, 2025, https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/hhs-drives-reform-restore-patient-centered-care-announces-request-nominations-members-serve-federal (Accessed 8/22/25).

2
Ibid.

3
“Request for Nominations of Members To Serve on the Healthcare Advisory Committee: Notice” Federal Register, Vol. 90, No. 161 (August 22, 2025), p. 41089.

4
Ibid.

5
“Establishing the President’s Make America Healthy Again Commission” Executive Order No. 14212, February 13, 2025, available at: https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/02/establishing-the-presidents-make-america-healthy-again-commission/ (Accessed 8/22/25).

6
Federal Register, Vol. 90, No. 161 (August 22, 2025), p. 41089.

7
“Advisory Committee on Ground Ambulance and Patient Billing (GAPB)” Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, https://www.cms.gov/medicare/regulations-guidance/advisory-committees/advisory-committee-ground-ambulance-and-patient-billing-gapb#:~:text=A%20Federal%20Register%20Notice%20was,consumers%20on%20August%2028%2C%202024.&text=The%20Committee%20Issued%20its%20Report%20on%20August%2028%2C%202024%20which,on%2011/16/2021. (Accessed 8/22/25).

8
“Advisory Committee on Air Ambulance Quality and Patient Safety” Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, https://www.cms.gov/medicare/regulations-guidance/advisory-committees/advisory-committee-air-ambulance-quality-and-patient-safety#:~:text=The%20Committee%20must%20be%20established,Advisory%20Committee%20Act%20(FACA).&text=The%20No%20Surprises%20Act%20(Section,in%20relation%20to%20the%20Committee. (Accessed 8/22/25).

9
“Health Information Technology Advisory Committee (HITAC)” Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy, https://www.healthit.gov/hitac/committees/health-information-technology-advisory-committee-hitac (Accessed 8/22/25).

10
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, August 21, 2025.
















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Todd A. Zigrang

Todd A. Zigrang, MBA, MHA, CVA, ASA, FACHE, ABV, is the President of Health Capital Consultants (HCC), where he focuses on the areas of valuation and financial analysis for hospitals, physician practices, and other healthcare enterprises. Mr. Zigrang has over 30 years of experience providing valuation, financial, transaction and strategic advisory services nationwide in over 2,000 transactions and joint ventures. Mr. Zigrang is also considered an expert in the field of healthcare compensation for physicians, executives and other professionals.

Mr. Zigrang is the co-author of "The Adviser’s Guide to Healthcare – 2nd Edition" [2015 – AICPA], numerous chapters in legal treatises and anthologies, and peer-reviewed and industry articles such as: The Accountant’s Business Manual (AICPA); Valuing Professional Practices and Licenses (Aspen Publishers); Valuation Strategies; Business Appraisal Practice; and, NACVA QuickRead. In addition to his contributions as an author, Mr. Zigrang has served as faculty before professional and trade associations such as the American Society of Appraisers (ASA); the National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts (NACVA); Physician Hospitals of America (PHA); the Institute of Business Appraisers (IBA); the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA); and, the CPA Leadership Institute.

Mr. Zigrang holds a Master of Science in Health Administration (MHA) and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Missouri at Columbia. He is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE) and holds the Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA) designation from NACVA. Mr. Zigrang also holds the Accredited Senior Appraiser (ASA) designation from the American Society of Appraisers, where he has served as President of the St. Louis Chapter. He is also a member of the America Association of Provider Compensation Professionals (AAPCP), AHLA, AICPA, NACVA, NSCHBC, and, the Society of OMS Administrators (SOMSA).

Jessica L. Bailey-Wheaton

Jessica L. Bailey-Wheaton, Esq., is Senior Vice President and General Counsel of HCC. Her work focuses on the areas of Certificate of Need (CON) preparation and consulting, as well as project management and consulting services related to the impact of both federal and state regulations on healthcare transactions. In that role, Ms. Bailey-Wheaton provides research services necessary to support certified opinions of value related to the Fair Market Value and Commercial Reasonableness of transactions related to healthcare enterprises, assets, and services.

She serves on the editorial board of NACVA’s The Value Examiner and is the current Co-Chair of the American Bar Association (ABA) Health Law Section’s Membership Committee and the Young Lawyer Division (YLD) Liaison to the ABA Health Law Section Governing Council. She has previously presented before the ABA, American Health Law Association (AHLA). NACVA, the National Society of Certified Healthcare Business Consultants (NSCHBC), and the American College of Surgeons.

Ms. Bailey-Wheaton is a member of the Missouri and Illinois Bars and holds a J.D., with a concentration in Health Law, from Saint Louis University School of Law.

Janvi R. Shah

Janvi R. Shah, MBA, MSF, CVA, serves as Senior Financial Analyst of HCC. Mrs. Shah holds a M.S. in Finance from Washington University Saint Louis and the CVA designation from NACVA. She develops fair market value and commercial reasonableness opinions related to healthcare enterprises, assets, and services. In addition she prepares, reviews and analyzes forecasted and pro forma financial statements to determine the most probable future net economic benefit related to healthcare enterprises, assets, and services and applies utilization demand and reimbursement trends to project professional medical revenue streams and ancillary services and technical component (ASTC) revenue streams.

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